Teach Me
by Inuzuka-Shouko
Summary: Shino wants to become a better teacher. One day, he discovers that his colleague can handle kids pretty well. Shino X OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi minna! So I have just finished watching the latest episode of Boruto and came up with this story because I noticed that there's not a lot of love for Shino-kun. I guess this is my way to honor my favorite character and at the same time, show my appreciation to the writers for trying to incorporate the struggles of a young teacher in a seemingly difficult environment. I do admire Shino's motivation to rise up to the challenge and I do wish him luck in the future. I just hope that he believes in himself more.**

 **So this is my first fanfiction ever. I love writing, and I'm glad that there are people who decided that this is worth a read. I appreciate feedback so that I could also improve.**

 **Special thanks to Terracea for pointing out that I have to proofread. She even offered to help me out in my story and I really appreciate her supervision. LuciLove and Noface: thanks for leaving a message! I am motivated! Let's do this!**

* * *

The sun thought that today is the best day to punish the Academy students with its rays. Despite the sweltering heat, "hot weather" unfortunately is not an acceptable excuse to cancel classes. The more the sun increased its heat, the more the children tried to find ways to sweat less. One of the tactics the children thought that they could employ is to annoy the hell out of the poor Chunin assigned to their class, Inuzuka Shouko-sensei.

The woman was a good sport in maintaining her composure, though it was pretty much obvious that she suffered in the heat as well. Imagine that, she was covered in a black long-sleeved body suit and draped with the mandatory flak jacket. She finished her outfit with black pants. The material of her clothes, Shouko realized, was the type that absorbs a lot of heat. Moments like these, Shouko wished that the Administration would allow the academy teachers to remove their flak jackets while they're on duty. But, wearing the thick flak jackets in front of the students is a must because this is proof that they are the authority. This is their uniform whether they like it or not.

Unfortunately, flak jackets do not equate respect. Children nowadays do not understand the plight Shouko had to undergo in order to arrive at the Chunin status. The children didn't seem to appreciate their teachers, but Shouko found a way to establish rapport with these kids - despite how many would think that her method is very much unethical.

See, friendship between student and teacher should remain professional. Nothing more than that should be given. But, the more Shouko delved deeper into books about Child Psychology, the more that she realized that an adult, parental, or authority figure could have a big impact on the children. Some teachers prefer to dominate the class, restricting the children freedom to create, innovate, and understand the world freely. But not Shouko. She preferred a "big sister" approach. An approach that most teachers chastised her for.

 _"You're being too friendly with the kids!" or "You're being too nice! You need to be harsh!"_

Sigh. Well, true enough. Her "big sister" has limitations of its own, but - as evidenced by many, those who spent their Academy years under Shouko's wing performed really well. Not because they're just textbook learners, but because they experienced what they have learned in textbooks and incorporated it in real life.

Teaching geometry? Shouko would have the kids build boxes, drums, and other basic things. Literature? Shouko would have the kids role play the featured text. In short, Shouko never ran out of ideas to share in class.

This year, however, proved to be a very difficult year for the young Inuzuka. The students this year happened to be quite - for the lack of a better term - disrespectful and disobedient. One of her childhood friends, Aburame Shino, happened to moderate the most difficult class Konoha Academy has ever witnessed. Imagine that, in the first week, one of the students in his class crashed a train cabin to the side of his father's head in the Hokage monument. Shouko could remember the look on Shino's face that day. The man totally blanched like a sheet, horrified that a student of his caused trouble on the very first day. Everybody had to reassure the poor professor that it's not his fault but man, Shino was incredibly guilty and vowed to double his efforts when it comes to supervising his students.

Shouko watched the poor Aburame mulling in the corner. It was pretty obvious that he's having trouble right now, and Shouko totally understood. One day, she will totally buy Aburame-sensei a well-deserved beer. And probably treat him a bagful of meat supreme in Yakiniku-Q.

Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted the Inuzuka's thoughts. It was Ittoki, the rowdiest of them all. Shouko was very much well-acquainted with the boy's mother, and she knew very well that his mother was always up to no good. Strange enough, Ittoki's existence was proof enough that the fruit does not fall far from the tree.

"Inuzuka-sensei! Inuzuka-sensei! Is it true that you cannot kiss people because your saliva has rabies?"

 _Rabies? What the hell?!_ Shouko thought, instantly grabbing the collar of the kid. "Oi! _Bakayaro!_ Where did you get that nonsense?!"

"M-mother told me last night," Ittoki replied.

"Hora, hora! Did you know that my mother told me the same thing?" Kana said to her friend Saya. "That Inuzuka-sensei bit her ex-boyfriend during a fight! It was so bad that he had to be taken to the hospital,"

"No way! That's not true!" Saya exclaimed, but looked at Shouko apprehensively.

"Oh, but it is! He deserved it though. Mom said that Inuzuka-sensei never really dated nice guys and had a thing for bad boys who are rude to her,"

"What? But Inuzuka-sensei seems to be the type of person who doesn't date at all! She's like... so boring as a woman!" Saya retorted. At that, Shouko's attention was caught, and she whipped her head over to the gossiping young girls.

"Psst! Girls! Inuzuka-sensei is looking at you!" Suichiro warned.

"Eep!" Saya exclaimed, slapping a hand over her mouth.

"Hey Saya! Stop spreading rumors about Inuzuka-sensei. She'll bite you if you keep that up!" Kana yelled.

Saya was outraged. "Bite me?! _You're_ the one who started it! She'll bite _you_!"

"I'LL BITE THE BOTH OF YOU! SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT!" Shouko roared, baring her fangs at the mischievous girls.

 _"Aiyyeee!"_ Both girls yelled, running back to their respective training logs.

"Gosh," Shouko muttered as she put a hand to her face. The day hasn't even started yet and she's already drained. Kami, if you could just make it rain with extra thunderstorms, Shouko will believe in the idea of God once again.

But, Shouko couldn't ignore what the mothers of her students were saying about her. There's a bit of truth in that story but... _Mattaku, is that what the village mothers think of me? That I bite people? That I have a habit of dating bad guys?_ Shouko crossed her arms and frowned. "Now that's just stupid," she said to herself. Remarks like these are very common towards the Inuzuka family. After all, they breed and train nin-dogs for battle. They very much speak the language of dogs, and yet, people think that they themselves behave like dogs.

Prejudice. Discrimination. Things like that are time-wasters. This is why achieving true peace is impossible at the moment. Village mothers who have nothing to do but create stories are so... discouraging.

 _ **SPLASH!**_

Shouko's nin-dog, Kanemaru, had jumped into the lake. Shouko couldn't help but notice that her dog looked like a giant mop in the water from afar. Maybe it's time to give her giant dog a trim. The kunoichi scratched the back of her head as soon as she realized that her nin-dog isn't a puppy anymore, and that trimming him would be such a pain. Then again, because of Kanemaru's devil-may-care attitude, it's easy to forget that he's already an adult. As soon as Kanemaru realized that Shouko was looking at him, he decided to greet her with a loud hello. Translated into dog-speak, a hello means a singular-yet-loud bark that echoed throughout the field.

That made Shouko smile a little. If the good Kami above truly existed and gave her a bit of Kanemaru's personality, then maybe she'll be a happier person. Happy people are such fun people to be with. One of the best people who showed her the definition of fun back when she was a young kid was the fifteen-year-old Uzumaki Naruto - who would later become the Seventh Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Shouko looked up at the Hokage Rock and gazed at the Seventh's face. Iruka-sensei told her once that he's not the most intelligent, nor was he the most brilliant, but he was the most hardworking and resilient of them all. He fondly recalled how Naruto started from the bottom and climbed his way up. Approaching greater heights with no fear. "Okay, maybe with _some_ fear," Iruka-sensei would joke. "But the important thing is that he overcame that fear and turned it into strength,"

Shouko's mother often discouraged her to interact with Naruto, since he was "dangerous" and "unstable". She learned almost all of the synonyms of the word "reject" whenever her mother would talk about the blond orange-clad shinobi. Once, upon seeing Shouko chatting with the boy, her mother threw a violent fit and demanded that Shouko shouldn't go near that boy ever again. This fit extended to her cousin Kiba for being part of Naruto's merry band of delinquents.

"Being friends with that kid won't amount to something good!" her mother would say to Kiba-kun.

Boy, that look on her mother's face during Naruto-kun's initiation as the Seventh Hokage was totally gold. And her cousin Kiba-kun, along with the others who tremendously believed in Naruto-kun, flourished immensely. They became the kindest and strongest people Shouko ever met, and she, just like a lot of people from the younger generation, aspired to become like them. Moreover...

 _"Don't let them tell you otherwise, Shouko! You're gonna be a legend someday… all you have to do is believe it!"_ the voice of the younger Naruto-kun encouraged, giving her his most enthusiastic smile.

 _Ah, yes. If you can do it, then maybe I can do it, too._ Shouko responded in thought, looking slightly motivated now. _All I have to do is just believe…_

She felt a slight tug on the sleeve of her dark shirt, and she looked down to find a curious little girl with a very troubled expression. "So is it true, sensei? Is it true that you almost killed a person with your saliva?"

Cue another sigh, yet again. "Gosh. Ana-chan, you can't just go around believing the things other people say. Besides, whatever happened in my past is of no importance. The important thing that we must do now is to throw shuriken stars at our target so that one day we grow up to be people who don't use our teeth to fight!"

Ittoki raised his hand, but didn't wait for Shouko to acknowledge her. "So, um... you didn't answer her question,"

This finally pissed Shouko off. "Arggggh! Fine! You're asking for it! Aburame-sensei!"

Pulling himself away from a child that needed assistance, the dark-haired Chunin immediately rushed over to her side. "Hai? What is it, Inuzuka-sensei?" he asked, looking very much confused.

"Say, if I bite a student... will I get suspended?" Shouko asked.

Shino looked genuinely surprised hearing this. "Why, I suppose you will-"

Shouko glared at him.

"... _not_ be suspended." Shino finished. _Whatever that woman is planning to do, I suppose I'll play along,_ he thought.

"Hey kid!" Shouko pointed at the troublemaker, issuing a challenge at the poor boy. "Do you want to find out if the rumor is true or not?"

The knees of the kid started to violently wobble. "N-n-n-no! Of course not!" he replied, slowly backing away as Shouko moved closer.

The child turned to leave, but Shouko was faster. She managed to grab the back of the child's collar before he could escape.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry!" Ittoki managed to say, teeth violently chattering. Shino feared that if Shouko threatened him any further, he would wet his pants.

"Then stop blabbering that nonsense and get back to work!" Shouko barked and hurled the kid back to his training log. As Ittoki flew, Shouko did a graceful spin, and released shuriken stars to the wind. Before Ittoki could crash to the ground, the stars hit Ittoki's cape, and pinned him to the huge log.

When Shouko turned to her students, all of them looked pretty much amazed. Even Ittoki, despite being suspended, started to whistle with approval. Shouko couldn't help but grace her audience with a bow. Though, deep inside, she vowed never to do that again.

Shino felt his hands join in the applause. This was because he was also impressed, not only because of the younger Inuzuka's shuriken-throwing ability, but because of the way she successfully got the attention of her students.

If there's something that Shino would like to learn, it's how Shouko deals with the rowdy kids. His students housed the most intelligent minds of the Konoha Ninja Academy but still, most of them are still... children. Rowdy, attention-seeking children who use every opportunity to make things difficult for Shino. He missed the kids he used to teach when he was still around Shouko's age. Those kids were very obedient, sweet, kind, and loving towards Shino. Some of them even idolized him like a god (and even regarded insect users as "cool"). But nooo, not every audience is receptive, as evidenced by the current kids he has to handle. These kids were beyond his control. Sadly, no matter how much he tried, in the first month of Shino's governance, catastrophe occurred. He didn't like the fact that after this session of helping Shouko out, he'll have to head back to the courtyard, where he will hold classes for the time being.

"Aburame-sensei,"

Shino was deep in thought. Teaching's pretty much annoying, but he chose to walk this path, and he's not planning to back out anytime soon. One day, he'll triumph over his kids. And as soon as that day will come, Shino will consider it as the greatest accomplishment he has ever made. _Hahaha. Hahaha! HAHAHAHA-_

"Aburame-sensei? Oi! Aburame-sensei!" Shouko yelled, waving her hand in front of Shino's visor.

Crap, was Shouko talking to him? Shino immediately fixed his posture and instantly looked at her, clearing his throat first before speaking. "H-hai? G-gomen, I was thinking of something," he apologized.

"Yeah, you looked like you were worlds away!" Shouko said, grinning like crazy.

That made Shino's cheeks feel a little bit hot. Nobody smiled at him the way Shouko does. Seeing her smiling at him this close made him realize that she looked very much different now compared to when they were younger. Gone were the days when she wore her messy ash pink hair shaggy. The Shouko of now wore her hair neatly in a combed bob. Her eyes were rounder and brighter now, which revealed hazel orbs that matched her slightly-tanned skin - the only Inuzuka attribute that she had.

Shino remembered Kiba telling him this once: "Whoever Shouko's father was made her pretty!"

Unlike Shino, Shouko never had a chance to meet her father. It wasn't a secret that Shouko's mother was quite insistent in banning the man away from Shouko's life. She refused to reveal Shouko's origins to anyone, and was quite finalistic when she decided to tattoo her baby's cheeks with the Inuzuka clan symbol.

Shino felt his mouth tugging to a frown. He was curious how Shouko managed to become a good egg.

"Shino-kun, daijoubou?" Shouko whispered, careful that her students wouldn't hear her call him that way. "You're spacing out again,"

"Ara…" Shino began to say, putting a hand on his head. "Gomen, I just feel a little bit strange… but I'll be okay, that's because-"

Shouko held Shino's shoulders with urgency. "Shino-kun! Wari, but I _really_ need to excuse myself because Kanemaru is chasing one of the construction workers again. In the meantime, maybe you could help Suzu out for me?"

Shino looked at the girl standing behind Shouko. She looked like she's about to cry. He doesn't like it if kids cry. "Alright..." he agreed.

"Great! Thanks so much for helping me out." Shouko gratefully expressed, releasing the Aburame from her grasp. "Anyway, I really think it's amazing that you're willing to help me out because Konohamaru-sensei can't make it today,"

"Shouko... it's not a problem at all…"

Shouko suddenly looked worried. "Shino-kun, are you crying?" she asked.

"That's absurd! Why would you say that?"

"Your nose is red all of a sudden." she replied, poking his nose.

"Y-you're mistaken!" Shino denied, covering his nose.

Shouko smiled softly. "Well, I'll make it up to you. Wanna go somewhere after class? Maybe a beer? Don't worry, my treat!"

Instead of an affirmative sign, Shino's expression suddenly turned hesitant. "Um…"

Shouko's hands flew to her lips. "Oh my gosh, you totally have other plans, don't you? Sorry for assuming otherwise…"

"No! It's okay! It's just that... Well... Kiba and I are planning to go somewhere-"

"Kiba! Right. Um, some other time then. Just let me know when you are free!"

Shino's expression turned grateful. "That would be great Shouko-sensei…"

 ** _WOOF!_**

A loud bark interrupted the duo, followed by the loud clang of a hammer hitting a metallic surface.

"Shimatta!" Shouko cursed, remembering the reason why she wanted to excuse herself in the first place. "Be right back, Aburame-sensei! Arigatooooooo..."

Shino smiled to himself as he watched Shouko rush over to hold her dog back from attacking the angry construction supervisor.

"Kanemaru says he won't do it again! Ne, Kanemaru?!" Shino could hear her say from a distance.

A little hand tugged on his sleeve. "Aburame-sensei, do you like Inuzuka-sensei?" came a small voice from below.

Shino was immediately flustered. "Suzu! W-w-what are y-you talking about? Of course I don't! Tonikaku, I was looking at you earlier and I noticed that you're holding your shuriken wrong. Here, hold it like this…" he said, showing the girl how to hold the metal star properly.

Suzu imitates Shino's shuriken hold, but it wasn't effective in diverting her attention from the topic. "But she's pretty... I heard she called you Shino-kun and asked you out on a date,"

"We're uh… friends since we're younger and I… I wouldn't call it asking _me_ out on a date. It seemed like she had friendly intentions when she asked if I wanted to do something after class. Besides, I wouldn't do anything stupid…"

"Stupid? It's stupid to date Shouko-sensei?" Suzu asked.

"Iie, it's stupid to date a colleague." Shino rephrased.

"Colleague? My mom said she worked with dad plenty of times before they got married," Suzu said. "Then dad accidentally made mom pregnant with me and he was pretty much forced to marry her or else,"

 _What sort of a father would tell his child that?!_ Shino thought, but decided to not press the issue. It seemed like a sensitive thing to talk about.

"So yeah! They married each other!" Suzu finished, bumping the two shuriken she held in her hands.

"Yeah, but they had different circumstances. In this school, teachers also have rules to follow. If we don't follow these rules, then Shouko- no… Erm… Inuzuka-sensei and I will lose our jobs,"

Suzu looked genuinely shocked. "Oh no!"

"Mmm, yeah… that's why we make sure to think carefully before we act," Shino replied, thinking that this is a good opportunity to teach a child a life skill.

"Yes, Aburame-sensei is right, Suzu-chan!" a chipper voice behind Shino said. "We have to think carefully before we act! That stops us from being punished from doing stupid stuff! Look at Kanemaru, I trapped him using an earth jutsu because he tried to attack an innocent man!"

Kanemaru looked sad in his earth cage. :(

"Ah, Inuzuka-sensei, you're back," Shino acknowledged.

"Arigato once again, Aburame-sensei," Shouko said, bowing slightly.

"Um, Inuzuka-sensei, do you want to try dating Aburame-sensei?" Suzu asked, still not dropping the subject.

Shouko looked confused. "Etto... What made you ask that, Suzu-chan?"

"You're single, he's single… you guys should get together," Suzu said.

"Ehh?! But what if I told you that if - and only if - Inuzuka-sensei dates Aburame-sensei… then that would mean that I'll be away forever!"

"F-forever?" the small girl repeated, sounding a little bit distressed.

"Yep, and Aburame-sensei will take me to…" Shouko trailed off, elbowing the shinobi to continue her sentence.

"Disneyland," Shino replied. He didn't know what else to say.

"Disneyland! And we'll stay there… forever!"

"I… I don't want that!" Suzu yelled, immediately rushing over to Shouko, enveloping her favorite teacher with a hug. "Stay here Inuzuka-sensei… we don't want you to leave us,"

A crowd of children started to form around them.

"Ehh, Inuzuka-sensei is leaving?" said a boy from the back.

"What? Why?" another kid asked Suzu.

"Because Aburame-sensei will take her to Disneyland and they'll never ever come back ever again!" Suzu wailed. "WAAAAAA!"

"Oi, oi..." Shino began, trying his best to calm Suzu, but was interrupted by a child who pulled the back of his flak jacket.

"Is this true, Aburame-sensei?" The kid asked.

Shino opened his mouth to answer, but Shouko lifted a hand to stop him. "Relax, you guys. It's not true. We're just joking around. Plus, there's no way I could ever go to Disneyland! A teacher's salary is not enough to cover for our expenses," Shouko reassured the kids. "Ne, Aburame-sensei?"

"H-hai…" Shino agreed.

A sigh of relief escaped from the lips of the students. Shino couldn't help but feel a little wave of jealousy. They all seemed to like Shouko so much. If only Shino could replicate that in his class then it would really mean a lot.

"Now, all of you… time to go back to your stations!" Shouko ordered.

A simultaneous "haaaaaii" echoed throughout the group before resuming their ninja practice.

"Thank you, Shino-kun. You're such a good sport," Shouko told him before leaving to assist other kids.

Suddenly, Shino felt a weird fluttery feeling, and his heart started beating faster and faster. It's loud and unsettling. It's strong enough to drive him crazy.

"What is going on?" He asked himself, putting a trembling hand on his chest. Strange. He never felt that way towards Shouko before. Maybe...

Maybe Kiba would know.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! It's a good day to write, and so far, I'm glad I found some time to. See, I had to go to work today and I was so drained that I immediately slept as soon as I arrived home! However, as soon as I woke up, I managed to write while eating dinner. I'm so stressed that I just had to. So here's the second chapter... written earlier than expected.**

* * *

Finally! The long-awaited end to a somewhat grueling day. As the children walked away from the mentally and physically exhausted Aburame, the latter couldn't help but wish that he had wings and could fly just like his kikaichu. Thinking about it gave him an idea.

It wouldn't hurt to have his bugs help him get to his destination faster, now would it?

But what happens if the people see a massive cloud of kikaichu carrying the body of a creepy-looking man? Obviously, the creepy man will get suspended for causing unnecessary trauma on children and adults who witnessed the event.

So scratch that idea. It was a terrible one, anyway.

Speaking of suspension, he nearly got one weeks ago. It wasn't his fault, but…

He was thankful that the administration chose to turn a blind eye on the slight he had caused _provided_ that he'll assist them in any way possible in order to understand the current threat that is going on in the village. Shino had been helpful enough to provide a list of the places that he went to and a even wrote a detailed report of the stuff he had been doing right before the possession happened. He was pretty confident that the top-ranked jonins assigned to the case will find resolution, but…

Possessed. When the incident happened, every teacher in the Academy knew about it and were advised to keep their eyes peeled just in case 'it' attacks Shino again.

If that's the case then… Shino felt shivers down his spine. Shouko obviously knew what happened. Because of that, he wondered what she truly thought of him now. When she was being so nice to him earlier, was that really her being a genuine friend towards him? Or, was she just pretending like the others and secretly thought that he was a massive pain in the ass?

Shino's not going to debate that, though. He knew that _he's_ a major pain in the ass. His colleagues are busy cleaning up his mess right now. Mothers saw what happened as ammunition against his teaching and position. Recommendations for a potential promotion to jonin withdrawn.

Imagine that, a chunin with a jonin-level ability who allowed himself to be possessed by a spirit that made him want to kill innocent children! If the children 'he' attacked couldn't protect themselves then he surely would have killed them with his kikaichu.

Shino couldn't bear the thought of eventually facing Uzumaki Hinata, one of his closest friends and former teammate. When he was possessed, one of the students he attacked was her son. As her friend and former team leader, he desperately wanted to apologize for failing her in so many ways than one. This was because… she trusted her and believed in his ability to teach and protect her son in the Academy.

Because of this, Shino strongly blamed himself… even if the situation was beyond his control and wasn't his fault. Obviously, he wasn't strong enough to resist the power of whatever it was. As a ninja, he's got a long way to go. Years of harmony is not an excuse to neglect his training.

To comfort him, the Seventh had forgiven him, pointing out that the real Shino wouldn't even dare to hurt a fly. Normally, Shino would laugh and tell him that it was a 'good one'. Sadly, his mood made him unable to appreciate jokes, and he just hung his head low, waiting for a severe reprimand.

Instead, the great leader decided to chat. "Shino, do you remember the time Bushy-brows invited all of us to go to the bath house?" he asked, smiling at the thought of a fond memory.

"Every detail is still so clear to me, Lord Seventh," Shino responded.

"It was so funny, you know, seeing that huge larva thing… next to your… um…"

"You don't have to explain it, I remember it clearly,"

"Good, 'cause… that means you remember what I told you right after that, right?"

* * *

 ** _Flashback._** ** _  
_**

"I wonder if Bushy-brows is still at it," Naruto asked, wondering if Lee, the person who invited them to the bath house, is still coming. Lee promised that he'll come as soon as he finishes traveling three thousand steps around Konoha using nothing but his hands.

"He's a hard worker but he can't read people well," Kiba said.

 _Can't read people? Oh how fucking familiar._ Shino thought as he turned to the brown-haired nin-dog trainer. "That's not unusual, and why is that you ask? Because he's a worker ant. And boy, do I ever love ants like that," Shino said, flipping his wet towel over his shoulder.

A loud gratifying slap snapped as his wet towel hit his back.

"You must look at your comrades in a more generous light," Shino finished. Hearing other people dissing others pisses him off so damn much.

Also, he was pretty much pissed because they left him out during the mission. Kiba had no idea that ignoring him for a very long time felt very unfair and as his friend and colleague, it is his every right to passively aggress his thoughts on the matter.

Despite his best efforts, Kiba's ignoring him again. Kami, why is he friends with this guy?

Naruto, however, saw it as an opportunity to compliment the bug user. "Wow Shino what a nice thing to say! You sure have a big…" he trailed off.

Suddenly, Naruto jumped up from his seat and stumbled backwards over a wooden pail.

"AAAAAAAH! That's so disgusting! Shino, don't look now but there's a giant larva near your crotch!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Ponyo, his new larva friend. This is the first time Ponyo's ever been to the bath house and Shino was generous enough to let him out and play with the water.

Kiba scoffed at Naruto's reaction. "He's an insect user, of course some of them will end up on his body,"

"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed as soon as he realized that he was being stupid. Shino was prepared to hide Ponyo for Naruto's convenience, but the blond shinobi went closer to him and said: "Shino, you're one of the guys that I really look up to in more ways than one!"

The Shino then was stunned. "Really?"

* * *

"...I honestly thought you were just pulling my leg," the Shino now explained.

"Shino," the Lord Hokage began, "I mean it when I say nice things to people and I do hope that you truly know that you're _still_ one of the guys that I really look up to in more ways than one! _You_ and I have worked together in so many missions, and _you_ did an amazing job keeping me in line! _You_ protected me from getting seriously hurt and heck, _you_ even saved my life plenty of times. For that I am, and will always be, eternally grateful to you,"

"Thank you... Naruto... really... I appreciate your kind words,"

"I'm just telling you the truth," the Lord Hokage said, giving Shino a big smile. "I believe in you Shino! Dakara... believe in yourself!"

These were very high statements meant to comfort and bring back the confidence of the dark-haired shinobi but…

Nevertheless, Shino still felt very much responsible. It was, after all, his job to protect the kids. Common sense would tell you that suffocating these children with his kikaichu obviously meant that he failed his number one obligation. So, to fix things (and his reputation) he needs to show the world that he's capable of the tasks given to him.

The last thing he needs right now is to fuck up some more.

As he forced his tired feet to walk up the steps, at least he knows that there's still a chance that his day will end positively. All he needs to do is fill out the teacher reports and then call his friend Kiba to meet somewhere and hang out. Maybe have chicken and beer for dinner.

He stopped in his tracks. Oh yeah, he had something important to assess with his friend. Earlier this day he felt his heart pounding wildly at the sight of Shouko playing mother hen. Watching her treat her students in a relaxed, yet carefree nature made him realize that teaching is way more than being a responsible authority figure. That strategy of Shouko, no matter how questionable it may seem to others, is actually an effective way to teach young ninja kids.

 ** _D_** ** _u-dub du-dub du-dub-_**

"Ah," Shino put his hand on his chest. There's that crazy heartbeat thing again. Shino wanted to simply dismiss it as admiration, but when thoughts of the young Inuzuka kunoichi raced in his mind, his heart couldn't help but beat wildly.

Wait, does this mean that he has a crush on Shouko? Shit. _Shitohshitohshitohshit._

His hands were already pulling the topknot on his head. Kami, this is bad. Seriously, what's the problem with him? First, he couldn't control his students during class, then he issued a battle that caused his students to destroy the school! On the top of all that, he tried to murder the sons of his close friends!

With a defeated expression, Shino finally concluded that he's the shittiest teacher in the entire history of Konoha Ninja Academy. Maybe he should just stick to entomology. At least there's reassurance that he's good with that.

* * *

The faculty room was eerily quiet. But this is to be expected. Most chunins and jonins were sent out on missions and won't be back until tomorrow. Until then… it's just Shino, Anko, Iruka, and the annoying Shouko.

Anko left first, informing everyone that she didn't want to miss the great dango sale. She was also kind enough to ask everyone if they wanted to come. Honestly, Shino was so tempted to say yes, but realized that going to the great dango sale with Anko would make Shouko suspicious and conclude that Shino didn't want to hang out with her.

His eyes drifted on the few lines he scribbled on the teacher's log. He wrote about what happened this morning minus the epic realization that he just had. The only thing he wrote about the ash-haired kunoichi is that he admired her teaching strategy, no matter how questionable it may seem to others. Oh, and that he'd like to know more from her. That's it.

Iruka, an aged man with a great big scar on his face, approached Shino's desk with a smile. Shino never really noticed it until now… but somehow, if not surrounded by children, Iruka-sensei is a really zen man.

Zen people also have a thing for detecting severely bothered people and actually find ways to lift their spirits up. Based on what has been going on, Shino knew that it will ultimately come to this.

"Principal-sama," Shino began, immediately standing up to acknowledge the man.

"Shino-kun. Thanks for taking over Konohamaru's duties today. He'll be back tomorrow,"

"You're welcome sir. It's the least I can do to help the Academy. Thanks for also helping us cover shifts of other teachers as well. We know that you're a very busy man,"

"Yes, but a severe shortage of teachers is not an excuse to cancel classes on a school day," Iruka said with a chuckle. "With most of them sent away to do missions, those who are left still have an obligation to keep the operations running. Don't worry, your salary will have a hefty bonus at the end of the month,"

"Yes sir,"

"Ne… You're right about the kids… They're very much… destructive bordering towards impossible," the principal began, sounding just as drained as he is.

Shino smiled a bit. Was this man trying to reassure him that even a man of his stature is having difficulty with the kids?

"They have those gadget things in their hands. While I'm in front of them, I keep hearing beeping sounds that those things make," the man continued, imitating a game console in his hands. "Beep, boop, beep, boop- ahhh! So frustrating,"

"I agree with you sir, but in cases like that, we require them to put their electronic devices in a box before class starts,"

Iruka crossed his arms. "Are you insinuating that I don't know what to do in situations like that?" he asked, sounding a bit annoyed at Shino.

That alarmed Shino very much. "No! Etto... I didn't mean to imply that you didn't-"

"Just kidding, kid!" Iruka laughed, patting the poor shinobi's back. "But… you're right. I may have neglected to collect their gadgets before class even started. Cut me some slack, it's been a while since I last taught kids!"

Shino remained silent, but nodded anyway to show the principal that he was still listening.

"But… this experience taught me something important, Shino-kun," Iruka said. "You're strong,"

Shino looked up and met the earnest eyes of the principal. "I'm… strong?"

"As a teacher and as a person," Iruka affirmed. "I know your past month has been rough… and you might be questioning yourself right now but… I've been there… we've all been there… Seriously, you know what I'm talking about!"

Shino chuckled at that. "I really do, sir," he said, remembering how Naruto and Kiba gave the principal a hard time back in the day.

"Well, I hope that this doesn't stop you, kiddo. I saw it in you, the way you handled the troublemakers in my class back when I couldn't get them to listen to me," Iruka said.

"All I did was show them my kikaichu," Shino replied, recalling the three kids that made Iruka's life hell around the time Hinata's doing her wedding preparations.

"Believe me, you did more than that," Iruka said, smiling as he placed one final clap on Shino's shoulder. "Okaaay, that's it for today. I'm taking my leave. Whoever's last in the room must close up, do you hear me?"

"Hai!" Shino replied, tugging his lips into a genuine smile.

"And you look chipper already!" Iruka exclaimed, looking happier that his 'talk' with the dark-haired shinobi went successful. "Ja, sayonara!"

As Iruka-sensei turned to leave, Shino realized that Shouko was still sitting on her desk, reading a book. The words 'Kaizen Method' was written on the cover.

 _She sure does read interesting books,_ Shino observed.

 ** _D_** ** _u-dub du-dub du-dub-_**

And there it was again, his heart beating wilder than usual. Shouko looked busy, but at the same time widely available to chat. She looked finished with her training log. Does this situation mean that he should he make small talk?

What should he say? Should he give her a compliment? Wouldn't that be too freaky? Or is it safe if he just asks a question?

"Are you done with your log, Shino-kun?" Shouko asked.

Great! He didn't have to start the conversation first. "Not yet I'm afraid," he replied.

"Mmm, I'm done!" she bragged, pointing at the blue notebook on her desk.

"Good for you,"

Silence.

"...You better start doing yours, Shino-kun. Didn't you say that you were gonna meet up with Kiba-kun?"

"Okay," was what he said.

"Okay!" was her reply.

Okay. Okay! Seriously, that was the most awkward conversation ever. Way to go, Shino-kun. You totally blew all of your chances to talk with her today. Back to his desk he goes. He stared at the notebook in front of him and began contemplating what to write. When he finally put his thoughts into words, he managed to make another paragraph summarizing his day.

Suddenly, the door opened with a loud bang and in came a scruffy man wearing a fur-lined coat. His long hair was slicked back, and just like Shouko, had two red fangs tattooed on his cheeks. "Oi! Bakayaro! Stop working or we'll miss our appointment!" he yelled at Shino.

"Bakayaro? Where?" Shino joked, pretending to look around for this 'bakayaro' that Kiba was referring to.

"There!" Shouko exclaimed, pointing at her cousin.

"Heh-heh," Kiba laughed as he sauntered over to Shino's desk.

"What are you doing Kiba?!" Shino demanded. "Visitors are off-limits here!"

"Sheesh. Like I'm gonna get arrested for simply entering a room. Hurry up, will you?"

Shino hurriedly scribbled the last sentence of his closing paragraph. "...I'm done. Ikkuso," he said, snapping his notebook shut.

"Yep, we should," Kiba agreed, following the Aburame as he approached Shouko's desk.

"I'll give this to you," Shino informed her as he presented his teacher log to her. "Please submit mine along with yours in the morning,"

"Wakatta," she accepted, receiving Shino's notebook in her hands.

"Hello there, Shou-chan!" Kiba greeted, pinching the cheek of his smaller cousin.

Shouko swatted Kiba's hand away from her cheek. "Don't do that, Kiba-kun!"

"Wari," Kiba apologized, but he didn't look sorry.

"How are you? It's been a while since I last saw you," Shouko said.

"It's been a while?! Well of course, it's been a while. You moved out of the Inuzuka compound, remember? If you miss me, then it's totally your fault!" Kiba said.

Shouko laughed. "I know. I just... miss home sometimes," she admitted wistfully, unconsciously biting her lip as she looked away from her cousin.

"And we miss you, too," Kiba said, slowly changing his alpha expression into something gentle. He put a hand on her head. "Just come home whenever you're ready," he told her.

Shino looked at the ash-haired kunoichi's reaction. Kiba wouldn't tell him the reason why Shouko decided to leave home and rent an apartment far away from the Inuzuka compound. As far as Shino knew, Shouko's reluctance to come home sparked a massive controversy among the wives of the townsfolk. He had heard all sorts of rumors about Shouko and her mother but he chose to say nothing on the matter. He'd rather hear the reason from Shouko himself... if she talks to him about it, of course.

"I'm not ready yet," Shouko admitted.

"Aw, nobody's forcing you Shou-chan," he told her, rubbing her head consolingly.

"Where's Akamaru?" she asked, changing the topic.

Kiba took the bait. "With Kanemaru. It's such a hot day. I think both dogs deserve a long bath, don't you think?"

"Still having difficulty convincing the landlady to let me wash Kanemaru in my bathroom, so that's gonna be a problem," Shouko replied. "I'm tired of using the transformation technique to smuggle my poor baby into the comforts of my own home,"

"Then maybe you should ask Shino's landlord if there are rooms available for a pet owner," Kiba said. "When this guy was looking for a place to live, he also had the same trouble because his last name meant that insects will follow him wherever he goes,"

"Only one apartment complex accepted me because apparently, my insects qualify as pets and they don't have a 'no pets allowed' policy," Shino explained.

"Whatever he said," Kiba agreed, slamming both of his hands in his jacket pockets.

But that would mean that Shouko might live near him. It seemed like a brilliant idea for Kiba, but not for him. Not until he has detached himself from this unhealthy attraction to Shouko.

"I-I'm not sure if women are allowed in the complex, though," Shino lied.

Kiba clapped Shino's back. "What are you talking about, man? I keep smelling a mix of women's perfumes in the hallway whenever I come visit,"

"The perfumes that you smell... they're um... perfumes worn by the girlfriends of the boarders staying there," Shino reasoned. Deception isn't his strong suit, and his eyes would almost often give him away. That's why he found it necessary to cover his eyes all the time.

Unfortunately, Kiba knew about this and instantly grabbed Shino's visor. Shino was quick to swat Kiba's hands away, and even did a cat hiss.

"What the fuck, did you just fucking hiss?" Kiba asked.

Shino cleared his throat. "We need to go," he announced. "You said so yourself,"

"Where are you guys headed?" Shouko asked.

"Barbershop," Kiba said, pulling Shino's topknot up for Shouko to see. "Shino clearly needs a haircut,"

"What about you? I mean, your hair could use a cut," Shouko pointed out.

"Urusai. The shaggier, the better," Kiba declared. "Besides, I'm just gonna accompany Shino,"

"Your hair looks better if it's shorter, to be honest," Shouko said.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Tamaki thinks so too,"

"The cat girl? Ooh. Seems that we could really get along if that's the case,"

"You _should_ get along with her."

Shouko grimaced. "But the cats though..."

"Yes, there are also lots of cats in our apartment complex!" Shino added.

Kiba gasped. He knows that Shino's landlord doesn't like cats and discourages cat owners to live in his apartment complex. That's not a good sign. He knows that something is up.

Guess Shino's gonna have to stop lying now.

"Okay Shino, thanks for letting me know," Shouko said. "I'm not really a big fan of cats. They scratch,"

"Forget that. Just hang out with Tamaki the next time we invite you somewhere,"

"Fiiiine,"

"Speaking of hanging out..."

Kiba's head turned to his dark-haired friend. "What, Shino?"

Shino looked away. "...nothing,"

"No, you were about to say something. What is it, Shino?" Kiba demanded, shaking the arm of his friend.

"...maybe some other time."

"Alright. So I gotta go, you guys. It's getting late. Umm... will you come visit me tonight, Kiba?"

"You know I can't," Kiba told her.

Shino nodded. "Yes, that's right. That's because-"

Shouko cut off Shino's statement with her own. "Staying over at Tamaki's again?"

Kiba grinned. "You bet. We're gonna have a dinner date. Just the two of us!"

Shino frowned. There goes his dinner plans. Guess that he'll have to spend dinner alone... again.

"Well. Too bad. Dinner's gonna be meat. Lots and lots of meat," Shouko revealed to Kiba.

"What?! Really?!"

"Did that change your mind?"

Kiba shook his head. "Nope! Not gonna fall for that," he said. "Plus, you chose to live independently. Get used to the single life,"

"Hahaha. Fine. See you whenever then," Shouko said as she slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "And Shino?"

"..."

Kiba elbowed the shinobi's ribs. "Man, she's talking to you,"

"Ah! Sorry, I was spacing out," Shino apologized.

Kiba was shocked. "Spacing out?!" he exclaimed, giving his friend an incredulous look.

Shino ignored Kiba. "Yes, Shouko?"

"Feel free to swing by my place for dinner. And... see you tomorrow," she said, giving him a wink.

"Yes..." Shino managed to sputter, throwing out random words that he believed made perfect sense. "let's see each other... tomorrow... because of work... that's why..."

But Shouko was already gone.

"Okay, ikkuso," Shino told Kiba as he made his way towards the door.

"Dude..." Kiba began to say as he stepped in front of the dark-haired shinobi.

"What are you doing?" Shino demanded. "We're gonna be late!"

"No, what are _you_ doing? And I don't care if we're gonna be late," Kiba said. "You don't space out, hiss, and lie to friends... you, my friend, are gonna tell me what is going on,"

* * *

 **And cliffhanger!**

 **Thanks to everyone who left comments in my fic. To those who gave my story a favorite and a follow, thanks as well! (LuciLove, Satoshi-Frog, Terracea, AriannaMitoko, KirikaAndo, saphira1oo, GraceHeart27, Guest, and Noface)**

 **So a friend of mine suggested that I do an R &R - which is another great way to meet people in the community. I thought "why not"? This is also a good way to meet people and benefit in the end. Hahaha. So... if you arrived this point, thanks so much!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Good news! I got two perfect grades in graduate school! Honestly, I really worked hard and I'm really proud of myself for pulling it off! I'm not a genius to be honest, but I have motivation to study and understand the material given to me so yeah, it makes sense why I got a perfect grade in two subjects. Aside from that, I'm also trying to make my body physically attractive (because I spotted a belly weeks ago) so I enrolled myself in a month-long gym membership... which I intend to fully utilize.**

 **Thanks for the love in the previous chapters! School starts soon so I might not be able to write as fast as promised. Don't worry, I have so many ideas flowing in my head and I'll find time to write. That's a promise!**

* * *

"You totally like her!" Kiba declared, punching my shoulder.

"Ow!" I exclaimed and then rubbed my arm. Kiba's punches are as cruel as ever.

"This is amazing," Kiba continued, being all giggly and shit. "I can't believe that you really like _her,_ "

"Who?" I lied. I perfectly know who.

Kiba didn't buy my bullshit. He crossed his arms as he leaned back against his leather seat, never removing his gaze away from me. "Don't lie to me. I am your best friend. I can see through you,"

I paused for a while, assessed this, and then sighed. "Kiba... How many times do I have to tell you-"

"That she's a colleague? A childhood friend? My cousin? So many times that I lost count," Kiba said, rolling his eyes.

"Therefore I said it plenty of times already. You should get it by now. I can't date Shouko because she is all those things,"

"You know what? You're such a major pain in the ass!" Kiba barked, slamming his foot against the tiled floor. I grimaced at him in response. A pain in the ass? Right now, I could say the same about him. Really.

Kiba's not done yet. He still has a lot of things to say. "Why are you not allowing yourself to be happy just like the rest of us?" he demanded.

"I just want to emphasize that it's forbidden! Not professional at all. The last thing I want to do is to screw up my current career," I explained, hopeful that this will get him to drop the subject. He knows how much this job means to me and that I'm doing everything in my power to keep it. Informing him about how fucked I currently am might help jog his not-so-good memory.

" _Ex_ cuses! Just stop it, man. Dating a colleague is okay just as long as you are discreet about it. I mean, look at Kurenai-sensei and Azuma-sensei. We didn't know until Kurenai-sensei revealed that she's pregnant with Azuma-sensei's child,"

I was about to contest that, but I realized that I couldn't. Kiba was challenging me with his eyes, but smiled triumphantly when he knew I couldn't.

"My point is that they dated even if there is an unwritten rule that says they shouldn't,"

"But _my_ _job_ ,"

"Urusai, bakayaro!" Kiba shushed, wagging his finger at me. "Seriously, _wh_ y are we still arguing about this? We both know that you like her. And please, quit lying to yourself. I know you do. Isn't that enough?"

I went silent. There's no way I'm going to admit that I do out loud but Kiba's right. Kami, I really hate how this guy can read me. Probably because I'm not wearing my glasses anymore. Maybe that's why.

"Shino, if there's a real reason holding you back, you should tell me," Kiba said, with his eyes pleading.

"Fine. I don't think Shouko likes me that way," I admitted. "I think she thinks I'm creepy,"

Kiba looked genuinely shocked. "She does?"

"Remember my bugs? I sent them to the girls' bathroom once," I explained. "I believe that she was with Moegi-sensei. They were talking about the erm- recent incident involving the kids and... one of them said it was to be expected because I'm creepy and dangerous,"

Kiba blinked thrice, processing the words I just said to him. Then facepalmed himself. "I'm... I'm not going to ask you why you sent bugs in there but... it could be anything,"

"I'm not sure who said what but... there's a possibility that Shouko did," I added, solidifying the case in my favor.

"Assuming that Shouko's the one who said that," Kiba began, putting a hand on his chin as he stroked his beard. "People say things. Maybe she thinks you're just creepy now but... that could change if you spend time with her,"

"I've spent time with her," I said.

"Yeah, buddy. I know. It's just... never truly alone or it's not _that_ impactful enough to make her like _like_ you," Kiba explained. "I mean, you used to just follow the both of us around wherever we went so... I'm pretty sure that at this point she sees you as... um... a person who hovers around her. Like a creepy bug. And I know Shouko's senses are not as good as mine but she can tell if somebody is spying on her,"

"That's... that's painfully true," I accepted, slumping my back against my leather chair. It's everything I wanted in a chair, but it doesn't feel comfortable at all. I'm a bit scared, to be honest. Shouko might have sensed my chakra while I spied on her and her friend. I really wasn't thinking when I did that, but I guess if she found me creepy because of that then I don't blame her.

"Here's the thing: this is your fault," Kiba said. "You don't seem to like her that way. I mean, look at your face. It's blank. Expressionless. Totally uninterested!"

I looked at my reflection. Kiba's right. "Don't forget ugly," I muttered, brushing a stray strand of hair away from my tired eyes. As if that would make me look better. Or less creepy.

"No, you idiot. You just think you are ugly. That's why we're here in this barbershop. To make you see that you are a indeed a handsome guy..." he paused, before flicking my topknot. "...after chopping that weird topknot off your head,"

I checked his reflection once again and smiled a little. "And you waited months to tell me that?"

Kiba grinned. "You know what they say… If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all,"

"You're not ugly," I informed my brown-haired friend.

"I know. A lot of people say that I'm fucking handsome," Kiba replied, smoothing his thick hair with his gloved hand.

"But you could use a haircut," I finished.

Kiba gasped. "You too?!"

I nodded. "If my topknot has to go, then you should suffer as well," I said. "Actually, you don't have to... but you're here anyway so might as well,"

"Nooo! I am here for moral support! M-O-R-A-L S-U-P-P-O-R-T! You get that?"

"I do but-"

"Greasy hair like yours attracts fleas," the barber interrupted, joining in the conversation as he assessed Kiba's hair with his touch. "...and trust me, I know a thing or two about hair,"

"Well… whatever! Fine! Let's have my hair trimmed. And by trimmed, I mean, one inch!" Kiba emphasized, putting his index finger up for the world to see.

"As you wish," the barber said as he dressed Kiba with a salon cape similar to mine.

 ** _Later..._**

* * *

My hair looks better now that my topknot is gone. Gone was the slight bob my head would feel whenever I walked. On the bright side, though, my head feels cooler and fresher. My hair smelled nice as well. It was a mix of strawberry and vanilla - two scents that I will never ever hate. After giving the mirror one final look, I put my visor back on and followed Kiba out of the shop.

"This isn't a trim at all!" Kiba complained. I agreed. His shoulder-length hair was replaced with the cut he used to sport when he was a teen.

"It looks good on you, though. You look years younger," I encouraged.

Kiba stomped his foot. "I don't want to look years younger! I just want my long hair back!" he complained.

"Sorry," was all I could say.

"Huh? What are you apologizing for? You have nothing to apologize for,"

"I feel that I forced you to have your hair cut," I admitted.

"Forced? Stop it. I decided it on my own. Besides, we didn't know that the guy could only do one hairstyle,"

I jammed my hands in my pockets and looked at the ground. "Actually I... I knew..."

Kiba whipped his new hair as he turned to face me. "Oh my god, you knew? What a horrible horrible friend you are!"

"Sorry, he already cut most of your hair when I realized,"

Kiba combed his hair with his gloved hand as he preened in front of a store window. "Man, I look like my teenager self," he observed.

"No, you look like a civilized adult," I pointed out.

"A _handsome_ civilized adult!" Kiba corrected.

"Glad your confidence is back," was all I could say.

Kiba licked his palm and slicked his hair back. "Better?"

"Better. Oh look, Akamaru's back," I said, pointing at the direction of Kiba's furry companion.

Kiba followed my gaze and found a big white dog standing next to a golden-brown dog. I instantly recognized the latter as Kanemaru, Shouko's dog.

"Well, that's my ride. I'll see you... tomorrow, I guess," Kiba said, waving his arm as he approached his dog. "Or whenever..."

"Whenever's fine, really. You know how it is for me. Usually alone as soon as you're gone," I replied. "Hinata's already gone..."

"Come on. You'll have more people to hang out with if you just quit making pathetic excuses! Ask Shouko out! You have my blessing,"

"Why would I need your blessing?"

"That's the thing. You don't need it. But I get this feeling that if the rest of your colleagues are okay with it, you're gonna use me as an excuse to stop yourself from dating Shouko,"

Both dogs looked shocked.

Kiba rubbed their furry heads with his hands. "You got that right, my friends! Our friend over here likes our Shouko!"

Akamaru barked supportively. Kanemaru did the same, but nodded enthusiastically at the same time.

Kiba chuckled. "Heh. You see that? Akamaru's okay with it. Kanemaru's also happy with it. So tonight, you're gonna bring Kanemaru home to Shouko and have a nice dinner date. You got it?"

I sighed. "Fine,"

"Attaboy. See you soon, bruh," Kiba said, jumping on Akamaru's back. "Don't forget to use protection!"

"B-bakayaro!" I yelled.

"Heh! Ja ne!" Kiba said, giving me a final wave before slapping Akamaru's back.

And just like that... the boy and his best friend left, leaving me and Shouko's dog watching the dust cloud behind Akamaru's feet get smaller and smaller... until it was completely gone.

"...that idiot," I muttered under my breath.

I felt a wet tongue wipe against my palm, and I looked down to find Kanemaru looking at me eagerly. I don't speak dog, but it looked like he wanted to know if I'm ready to take him home to Shouko.

"You're okay with me taking you home, buddy?" I asked the dog.

The dog barked in approval.

"Then, let's go!" I said, leading the dog towards where I thought Shouko's new apartment was.


End file.
